A house on Woodrow Avenue is labeled "arson." It's one of ten houses that fire officials deem suspicious blazes.

12:00AM

March 3, 2009

Since early January suspicious fires have burned ten houses on Columbus’s south side. In many of the cases, fire officials suspect arson and they have arrested three suspects. WOSU reports that some neighbors blame the rash of arsons on vacant properties.

Fire officials say arson is the cause of an early-morning blaze that destroyed part of St. Mary’s Macedonian American Orthodox Church on the east side of Columbus. The church’s offices were gutted while the interior of the adjoining sanctuary was heavily damaged.

Fire officials continue investigating a fire that damaged a Jehovah Witness church on Columbus’ North-East side over the weekend. Investigators have ruled the fire arson, but are not commenting on possible motives or suspects.